My Little Sister Susan
by FutureNarnianQueenX
Summary: Everyone has always looked at Susan as a surrogate mum to the rest of the Pevensies. Now, Peter wants to step up and take care of his little sister. Please review!
1. Chapter 1

(Will post next chapter A.S.A.P!)

(Peter's P.O.V)

If someone asked me who my favourite sibling was, I'd say I loved all three of my siblings the same. But if someone asked me which sibling I was closest too, I'd definitely say Susan.

Susan and I, being the two eldest, we've always been looked at as the 'carers'. Mum and Dad trust us to care for Edmund and Lucy. We look after them, because they're our little brother and sister. Since Susan acts so mature, people often mistake her as the eldest sibling. The way she naturally takes charge and sets everything in order, who wouldn't think she was the eldest child? She even bosses me around, even though I'm older than her. Mum keeps telling Su and I, _"Now, look after your little brother and sister, okay?"_ When she says "little brother and sister", she's referring to Edmund and Lucy. But see, that's the thing. I have more than one little sister. Yes, she's only slightly younger than me, and yes, she is the natural leader out of the four of us… but Susan is still my little sister.

Susan is… misunderstood by a lot of people. She doesn't get emotional very easily. It's like she has these solid steel barriers built around her, which no one can knock down. She's always been the comforter, never the crier. So people think she's insensitive, not getting upset when sad things happen. Not letting anyone into her life. But I think the truth is… she doesn't let anyone into her life because she's afraid of getting hurt.

She doesn't have any close friends. I mean, she does have _friends_, people she talks to in school, but… she doesn't have any close friends. Special friends. Best friends. No friends who know all her secrets. No friends who know which boy she likes. No friends who understand her.

Sometimes I think even Edmund and Lucy don't understand her. The four of us are as close as siblings can get, but I can't help noticing Lucy's confused expressions or Edmund's angry reactions when Susan says something they don't want to hear. Yes, I'll be honest – Susan does have the occasional strop. What teenager doesn't? Mum just shrugs it off…_ "Oh, you know what teenage girls are like. Typical, they're all the same. She'll calm down in a minute." _Typical? Typical. _How_ can that word describe Susan?Sometimes I wonder if anyone really listens to her when she speaks. Of course, they all _hear_ her, but… do they actually _listen_?

I can remember back to when we were little. We used to do everything together. _"Peter and Su, the Dynamic Duo". _That's what people used to say. I remember we always came first in the three-legged race, every single sports day. I remember all the flour fights we had once Mum had put the cookies in the oven. I remember we used to pretend the back garden was a jungle and go exploring when Mum was busy looking after Edmund and Lucy.

Sometimes I think that… I'm the only one who will ever, truly understand Susan. When we went to Professor Kirke's mansion, he, Mrs Macready and everyone else treated Susan like our surrogate mum. Twelve years old and being treated like our mum. Well, one thing's for sure, people aren't going to think of her like that any more. She's our sister. She's my sister. She's my little sister.


	2. Chapter 2

(Again, will post next chapter A.S.A.P!)

(Normal P.O.V)

Peter, Edmund and Lucy were sitting on the rug in front of the fire playing chess. Well, actually – Peter and Edmund were playing chess. Lucy had taken on the role of "referee". They were all in their school uniforms, and since it was Tuesday, Susan had her embroidery class after school, so they knew she was going to be a little late.

Susan burst in through the front door and slammed it. She was twenty minutes early. She kicked her shoes off and hurried upstairs, not acknowledging any of her siblings. Peter, Edmund and Lucy were silent until they heard Susan slam her bedroom door.

"Oh, hello Susan. How was school today, Susan? It was fine, thanks, Ed – would you like a cup of tea? Oh, yes please, I'd love one!" Edmund had an out-loud conversation with himself.

Lucy giggled, but Peter's face was serious. "She's not your maid, Edmund."

The smiles were wiped from Lucy and Edmund's faces. "I was just having a laugh, Peter. What's the problem?" Edmund asked slowly.

"The problem is that you're thinking of Susan as someone who'll get you cups of tea when you want, wash your laundry, tie your laces and wipe your face when you get chocolate all over it. She's our sister, not our servant!" Peter said sternly.

"I know she's our sister." Edmund said quietly.

Lucy nodded. "Of course he knows, Peter. But… Susan's always been the one who gets us cups of tea, washes our laundry, tie our laces and… wipe our faces when we… get chocolate… all over them…" Lucy's voice got quieter and quieter as she realised just how serious her brother looked.

Peter stood up and stepped over the chess game. "Well, it's time we stopped acting like she's our mum." He walked up the stairs to see what was wrong with his little sister.

Peter knocked on Susan's closed bedroom door. "Susan?" he called.

She didn't open the door.

"Su, can I come in?"

After a few seconds, the handle turned and Susan opened the door slightly, without letting Peter see her face.

Peter slowly entered the room. As soon as he did, Susan turned her back on him.

"H… how was school?" Peter tried to make his voice sound as normal as possible, and closed the door.

"Oh, it was fine." Susan said, like she usually did. She still wouldn't turn round. She approached her dressing table, keeping her head down so Peter couldn't see her in the mirror, and started arranging her perfume bottles biggest to smallest.

"And, um… embroidery class?" Peter tried to sound casual.

"Uh… yeah, it was good." Susan sounded happy, yet Peter could tell she was anything but. Once she had finished arranging the perfume bottles, Susan went over to the large window ledge, where a pile of magazines lay. She picked the top one up and started flicking through it. Of course, she wasn't reading it.

"You were home pretty early today." Peter tried to make this sound more like a statement rather than a question. He sat down on Susan's bed.

"Yeah, um… the class got cancelled. So, we… we had to leave early." Susan said, still flicking mindlessly through the magazine.

There was silence for a minute or two before Peter said anything else.

"You… you seemed quite annoyed when you came home."

Susan froze. "D-did I?" she said cheerily.

"Yes, you did." Peter said quietly, standing up off the bed.

Susan took a deep breath and sniffed.

"Su?"

"Yeah?" she said, her eyes stinging with tears.

"Look at me."

Susan dumped the magazine back on the window ledge. But she couldn't turn round to face Peter.

He approached her slowly, and put his hand on her shoulder. "Susan?" he said quietly.

She turned her head to the side so Peter couldn't see, but she was too late.

Peter stood in front of her, hands on her shoulders. Susan had black mascara and liner smudges all down her face. She must have cried a river, at least.

"Oh, Su…" Peter sighed, pulling her in for a hug. He kissed his little sister's head as she cried onto his shoulder.


	3. Chapter 3

(Next chapter coming soon!)

(Normal P.O.V)

They both stood there for what seemed like hours – Peter holding his little sister in his arms, and Susan crying onto her big brother's shoulder, staining his pristine white school shirt with black eye make-up. Peter didn't care though. So as long as his little sister was safe, that was all he cared about.

When Susan's crying ceased and she started sniffing, Peter slowly released her from the hug.

"Come on." he whispered, smiling. He held Susan's hand and took her over to the bed. They both sat down. Peter pulled out a tissue from his pocket and started gently wiping Susan's tears and the mascara marks off her cheeks.

"Thanks, Peter." she smiled once he had finished.

"No problem," he smiled back. "You know, you really do wear far too much make-up to school."

Susan giggled. "Yeah, maybe I do."

Peter put his arm round his little sister.

"What's up, Su?" he asked quietly.

Susan didn't say anything. Peter began rubbing her upper arm.

"Come on. You can tell me, Su." he encouraged.

Susan sniffed. "It's nothing, really… just… well, something… something happened at school…"

Peter stayed silent, waiting for her to continue. When she didn't, he asked, "What happened?"

Susan shook her head and started crying again. "No, I can't tell you, Peter. I'm sorry." she stood up, opened the door, ran down the hallway into the bathroom and locked the door.

Peter sighed. What was bugging his little sister?


	4. Chapter 4

(Normal P.O.V)

Peter wondered if he should go after Susan. But then he realised that it would be better not to. She was upset and clearly wanted to be alone. So, he decided that he would leave her be, but he would always be there for her if she needed him.

Peter went back downstairs to join Edmund and Lucy. Lucy smiled when she saw Peter.

"What's wrong with Susan?" she asked.

"I don't know," Peter sighed, sitting down on the couch. "I tried talking to her, but she got so upset and locked herself in the bathroom."

"Did she say anything?" Edmund asked.

"Yeah… she said something had happened at school. Then she ran off. Have you got any idea of what it could be, Lu?"

Lucy shook her head. "No, sorry. We're not in the same classes, so I don't get to see much of her."

Peter sighed again.

"Maybe I should try talking to her?" Lucy suggested.

"I don't think that's a good idea, Lu. I think we should all just give her some space for now."

Lucy nodded.

An hour later, Susan still hadn't come downstairs. Edmund was in the kitchen, making cups of tea, and Peter and Lucy were sitting silently in the living room. It was an awkward silence – neither of them knew what to say.

"That's been over an hour, Peter. Something's up. I'm going to go and check on her." Lucy decided suddenly, standing up and approaching the stairs.

Peter nodded. "Alright."

Lucy went up the stairs slowly. All of the doors were closed. Was Susan still in the bathroom, or had she gone back into her bedroom? Lucy knocked on the bathroom door.

"Susan?"

They was no reply. Lucy turned around and knocked on Susan's bedroom door.

"Susan? It's Lucy. Can I come in?"

There was silence for a few seconds, before Susan opened the door ever so slightly.

"Sorry, Lu. I'm just not in the mood to talk right now." Lucy heard her say.

"Oh…" Lucy was a little hurt by this rejection, but even more shocked that Susan didn't want to talk.

"Sorry." Susan repeated, before shutting the door.

Lucy retreated down the stairs. Peter looked up at her with a hopeful look on his face.

"She says she's not in the mood to talk." Lucy said miserably.

The hopeful look was wiped from Peter's face. "I'm going to have another go." he said. He stood up, went up the stairs and stopped outside Susan's bedroom door. He took a deep breath and then knocked.

"Susan, it's Peter. I know you told Lucy you didn't want to talk, but… please, just let me in."

After a few seconds, Susan opened the door fully. Peter gave her a small smile and she smiled back. Most of the make-up smudges were gone now, and her eyes were red from being rubbed with tissues.

Peter stepped into the room and gave Susan a hug.

"Sorry about earlier." Susan said, pulling away.

"That's alright. Please, Susan… please tell me what upset you."

Susan looked down at the ground and exhaled deeply. "Oh, I was just being stupid." she smiled, looking back up at Peter. "Overreacting, making a fuss over nothing…"

Susan tried her absolute best to look happy, but Peter could clearly see that her eyes were glassy.

"Susan…" he whispered.

A single tear fell down Susan's face. "It's nothing, really!" she insisted, wiping the tear away and continuing to smile.

"Please, Susan. Don't lie to me." Peter could always tell when his little sister was lying. She would speak in a very high-pitched voice and raise her eyebrows practically as high as the ceiling.

Susan sighed and sat on the bed. Peter sat down beside her.

"You know my friend Annabelle?"

Peter nodded.

"Well… she told me today that… that…" Susan struggled.

Peter put his arm round Susan to encourage her.

"She told me today that… her family had received a letter this morning telling them… that her father had died in war. And I'm just… really scared. Now that I actually know someone whose father has died… I'm just really scared. What if… what if Dad dies?" Susan said in a small whisper, before bursting into a fresh load of tears.

Peter pulled Susan into a hug. The four of them swore the day their father left that none of them would ever talk about him dying in war. It was just too painful to think about. But now, what with Susan's friend telling her that her father had died, it had obviously worried Susan very much about her own father.

Peter kissed Susan's head as she cried – again – onto his shoulder. "I don't want to hear talk like that, okay, Su? Not ever. Dad will be fine. He will. Honestly." he whispered.

(Peter's P.O.V)

I have never seen Susan cry like this before. Not over anything. It's quite a shock for me, to see her like this. Susan's always been the strong one, the one who supported us when we were upset. But now I think about it… when have I ever supported Susan? I remember, when we were little, helping her up and giving her a cuddle when she fell over and grazed her knees. I remember buying her a new doll with my saved-up pocket money when Edmund stole her most precious china doll and smashed it. But really… when have I ever _really_ supported Susan? The truth is… there's never really been a time when I could have comforted her. Not one. I think this is the first time when I have actually, truly been able to comfort and support my little sister. And she deserves it. I'm her big brother. What big brother doesn't want to protect his little sister from harm? No big brother. That's the answer to that question. Yes, she is only slightly younger than me, and yes, she is the natural leader out of the four of us… but Susan is still my little sister. And I love her to death.


End file.
